Let’s go deeper , why Indians don’t practice yoga but Americans do

 This is a profound and complex question—why do more Americans embrace yoga openly, while many Indians, from the land where yoga was born, often don't practice it regularly? The answer lies in cultural dynamics, religious tensions, historical shifts, modernization, and Western romanticism. Let’s go deep:

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1. Historical and Cultural Shift in India: Colonization and Loss of Indigenous Identity

• British Colonial Rule (1858–1947) deeply influenced Indian society. Under British Christian missionaries and Western education systems:

  • Hindu spiritual practices, including yoga, were labeled as “primitive” or “superstitious.”

  • Many Indians distanced themselves from their spiritual roots to be seen as “modern” or “civilized.”

  • This led to a generational inferiority complex—a loss of confidence in indigenous practices.

“To look Western was to be respected; to look Indian was backward.”
This mindset still subconsciously affects urban Indians today.

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2. Urbanization, Globalization & the Rise of Materialism

• Modern India is increasingly urban, fast-paced, and tech-driven. The societal focus has shifted to:

  • Engineering, medicine, business success—yoga doesn’t fit easily into this rat race.

  • Spiritual disciplines like yoga are often seen as things for the old, rural, or religiously orthodox.

  • Many Indians view yoga as “just stretching” or “something for foreigners.”

Meanwhile, in the West, yoga has been rebranded as:

• A path to personal wellness, stress relief, fitness, and even luxury.

• A way to connect with the “exotic East” without the obligation of faith.

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3. Repackaging Yoga in the U.S.: Why It Flourished

• Yoga was secularized and marketed brilliantly in the U.S.:

  • No need to worship Hindu gods or chant Sanskrit unless one chooses to.

  • It was sold as: “Do this to reduce stress, get fit, sleep better.”

• Yoga Studios, Celebrities, Athleisure Brands made yoga:

  • Trendy, elite, and profitable.

  • In India, traditional yoga is seen as free or taught by unpaid sadhus (monks), while in the U.S. it became a billion-dollar industry.

Irony: Indians exported a sacred practice. The West sold it back as a premium lifestyle.

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4. Religious Tensions in India Over Yoga

• Some Indian Muslims and Christians resist yoga because of its Hindu associations, particularly with:

  • The chanting of “Om”

  • The Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation), seen as invoking the sun god

• Politicization of yoga under governments like the BJP also caused pushback:

  • Some believe yoga is used to promote Hindu nationalism.

  • This caused secular or minority communities to distance themselves from yoga, even if they believe in its benefits.

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5. In America: Yoga Offers Freedom Without Religious Pressure

• Yoga is customizable in the U.S.:

  • Christian yoga (Holy Yoga), goat yoga, beach yoga, prenatal yoga, beer yoga—you name it.

  • No cultural baggage, no need to believe in karma, reincarnation, or any Eastern metaphysics.

• Yoga is voluntary and recreational—not tied to religion, caste, or family tradition as in India.

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6. The Irony and Revival

• Today, many Indians are rediscovering yoga—but often through Westernized platforms:

  • YouTube instructors, yoga apps, celebrity trainers.

  • Even Indian fitness influencers often quote American sources for credibility.

• A growing wave of young Indians are reclaiming their roots, but it's slow and competing with modern distractions.

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Conclusion: A Tale of Two Worlds

• In India, yoga became invisible through over-familiarity, colonization, and modernization.

• In America, yoga became desirable because it was exotic, rebranded, and marketed well.

But here’s the deep truth:

Yoga was never meant to be a product. It was a sacred pathway to liberation (moksha).
What the West embraced for wellness, India abandoned as “ordinary.” Now, both are meeting in the middle—some for healing, others for profit, and some for true spiritual awakening.